Without the Argentinian winger on the pitch, due to a preventative suspension by UEFA even as a disciplinary investigation continues, Benfica faces a difficult task at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium, needing to overcome a 1-0 defeat from the first leg.
The match, scheduled to commence at 8:00 PM local time (Lisbon) and officiated by Slovenian referee Slavko Vincic, will notice Benfica without Prestianni, who is suspended. Real Madrid, however, will be without their star forward Kylian Mbappé, who has been declared unavailable due to a physical issue. Mbappé’s absence is a significant blow to Real Madrid’s attack as they aim to secure their place in the Champions League group stage.
Benfica will also be without defender Huijsen, while Real Madrid’s complaint against Uruguayan midfielder Fede Valverde has been dismissed by UEFA, clearing him to play after an incident involving Benfica’s Samuel Dahl in the first leg.
João Tralhão, assistant to manager José Mourinho, represented Benfica at the pre-match press conference. Despite Mourinho’s absence on the bench, Tralhão assured reporters that the team will enter the match with a “clear game plan,” hoping to “surprise” their opponents.
Mourinho’s location during the match remains unknown, but Tralhão promised to work from the bench to ensure everything goes as planned. He also expressed hope for fair officiating, stating, “Benfica expects a fair game and that the same criteria are respected as we felt in the first leg, which was different.”
João Alves Domingos – Antena 1
At the start of the press conference, a Benfica representative announced that the topic of Prestianni’s suspension, stemming from UEFA’s investigation into alleged racist behavior towards Vinicius Júnior in the first leg, would not be discussed, as the club and president Rui Costa had already addressed the matter.
(With Lusa)
